The West Coast District Municipality has cemented its reputation as South Africa’s best-run local government, topping Ratings Afrika’s 2025 Municipal Financial Sustainability Index (MFSI).
This marks the 14th consecutive year the municipality has achieved a clean audit, a record that places it at the forefront of financial discipline and effective governance in the country.
The district was recognised for keeping up a 100% capital project expense rate and strong fiscal management practices.
West Coast District Municipality gets a clean audit for 14th year in a row
The MFSI evaluates municipalities on six criteria: operational performance, liquidity and debt management, budgeting, affordability, as well as infrastructure investment.
It draws on audited financial statements from 107 municipalities across South Africa.
The West Coast District, the best-run municipality in SA, covers over 31 000 square km and serves nearly half a million residents. Its success reflects both administrative stability and long-term financial planning.
Two of its local municipalities, Saldanha Bay and Swartland, tied for first place among South Africa’s top-performing local municipalities, underscoring the region’s depth of good governance.
Western Cape municipalities also dominated the rankings, holding up the province’s reputation for accountability and service delivery. At the National Good Governance Awards in Johannesburg, several Western Cape councils were honoured for their track records:
- Breede Valley Municipality received recognition for 10 straight clean audits and a decade of fully funded budgets.
- While the Cape Winelands District Municipality was lauded for 11 consecutive clean audits and sustained financial stability.
